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Recommended Pregnancy Diet

Pregnancy Weight Gain Calculator
20 November 2024
Pregnancy Weight Gain Calculator

When you are pregnant, your body diverts a great deal of effort towards the creation of new life. A healthy diet is important to you and to the development of your unborn child, in both the short term and long term- in the adult lives of your son or daughter.

  • During pregnancy, make sure to drink large quantities of water and follow the Ministry of Health’s recommendation on eating a diet that is largely based on the Mediterranean diet, as well as eating regular and various meals.
  • Weight gain during pregnancy is normal but dependent on your starting weight. Maintaining normal weight throughout pregnancy is important for your health and the health of the unborn child.
  • Ultra-processed food that contains large quantities of sugar, saturated fat and salt should be avoided as much as possible.

For more information about food safety during pregnancy

During pregnancy, your body is preparing for fetal development and breastfeeding, the development of uterine tissues and placenta, as well as increased blood supply in your body. These changes place tremendous demands on your body. A healthy diet and an active lifestyle will help you protect your body and the health of your unborn child while reducing both short-term and long-term risks and possible complications.

During pregnancy, you must gain weight, particularly due to the fetus growing inside you as the pregnancy progresses, and with it the uterus, amniotic fluid, etc. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy is the basis for a healthy and balanced lifestyle that will prevent disease in yourself and later in your newborn. Studies prove that the woman’s diet, rate of weight gain and eating habits during pregnancy may affect cognitive development of the infant, and their tendency towards obesity in the future as well as the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, etc.

Note

Note

If you are a vegetarian or a vegan, or if you have food allergies, gastrointestinal disorders, etc., it is important that you inform the medical staff. If you have diabetes or have any other special dietary requirements, it is important that you consult your physician, and a dietician, so that you can receive dietary instructions that are suitable for you.

It is important that you take food supplements that are recommended during pregnancy: it is important for your health and for fetal development.

General recommendations for a healthy diet

Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is the most recommended diet in the world, helping to maintain a healthy lifestyle and prevent disease. The diet is primarily based on fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, olive oil and some dairy products. Read more about the Mediterranean diet (Hebrew)

Regular meals

You should eat regular meals throughout the day – 3 main meals as well as snacks. Every meal should include various types of food and a range of vegetables.

Nutrition label

Read the nutrition label found on food packages, including information on ingredients, recommended storage instruction and recommended use. During pregnancy, following the manufacturer’s instruction is particularly important.

In general, in the first three months of pregnancy, you will gain between 0.5-2 kg.

Valid weight before the pregnancy and gradual gain weight during pregnancy reduce the risk of pregnancy complications such as hypertension, diabetes and premature delivery. They also reduce the risk of caesarean section.

Dietary recommendations by pregnancy stage

  1. First trimester - no caloric addition required.
  2. Second trimester - you need to add approximately 340 calories to your daily diet. In addition, increase your protein intake from this stage.
  3. Third trimester - you need to add approximately 452 calories to your daily diet.

For monitoring and weighing, and for early detection of any dietary deficiency, you should be under follow-up by the nurse overseeing your pregnancy and by the physician treating you. If necessary, you can obtain dietary counseling from a dietician.

Multiple pregnancy

In a multiple pregnancy (pregnancy with twins or triplets), the ideal range in weight gain differs from that appearing in the table. If you are pregnant with more than one fetus, it is important that you contact the medical staff in your HMO to obtain accurate information on relevant and healthy weight gain.

Recommendations for a healthy diet during pregnancy

There is no sweeping rule on food intake during pregnancy – the amount of food you may consume every day depends on your personal data such as age, height and weight, physical activity and your state of health.

In general, from the second trimester of pregnancy, you must add approximately 340 calories to your daily diet, and in the third trimester, approximately 450 calories. For personalized adjustment of the exact quantity of food for you, you should consult a dietician through the HMO in which you are insured.

The Nutritional Rainbow represents the principles of a healthy diet: which foods should be eaten, how frequently, what food should be avoided. We compiled for you all the food and categories that you should know.

Types of food: vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Such as oats, whole wheat, spelt and quinoa, and water (recommendation is for 2 liters of water per day).

Nutritional values: vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, calcium and antioxidants.

Recommended intake: every meal.

General recommendations:

  • It is important that you drink large amounts of water, which has numerous benefits in pregnancy: prevents dehydration, reduces the risk of fetal injury and reduces the risk of early contractions.
  • Consumption of dietary fiber can improve your gastrointestinal activity and prevent constipation, which is considered a common occurrence during pregnancy.
  • Diversify the colors of vegetables and fruit, as well as how you cook them.
  • Try to eat at least five servings of vegetables and fruit every day.
  • The recommendation is to eat fresh, seasonal and raw food over processed or preserved food.
  • Try to eat home-cooked meals and keep fast food or dining in restaurants to a minimum.
  • Calcium is important for you and your unborn child for building bones, for a functioning circulatory and muscular system, as well as for building and protecting healthy teeth.
  • During pregnancy, avoid certain foods that may contain substances that might affect you and your unborn child, as well as food products that may result in infectious diseases. For more information about food safety in pregnancy

Types of food: healthy oils, nuts, seeds, legumes, dairy products and dairy substitutes.

Recommended intake: at least once a day.

Nutritional values:

  • Legumes – protein, calcium, dietary fiber and various vitamins and minerals.
  • Healthy fats such as olive oil – source of healthy fat and antioxidants.
  • Nuts and seeds – source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
  • Dairy products (pasteurized) and dairy substitutes – excellent source of protein and calcium.

Types of food: eggs, fish and poultry.

Recommended intake: several times a week.

Nutritional values: proteins, Omega 3, vitamins and calcium.

General recommendations:

  • Prefer fish and poultry that are thoroughly cooked and that were bought raw and unprocessed.
  • If you are a vegetarian, you can replace poultry and fish with eggs (that are thoroughly cooked).
  • If you are vegan, you can substitute animal-based products with legumes.
  • Giving up all forms of meat (including chicken and turkey) at least one day a week is recommended and replace it with legumes, fish or nuts.

Types of food: beef (red).

Recommended intake: up to 300 grams per week.

Nutritional values: proteins, Omega 3, vitamins and calcium.

General recommendations:

  • The recommendation is to reduce consumption of red meat to up to a maximum of once a week.
  • It is preferable to eat red meat that has been bought raw and unprocessed.
  • Pay attention to the quantity of salt. In most cases, meat has been koshered and contains enormous quantities of salt. There is no need to add salt.

Types of food: ultra-processed products, products marked with red labels indicating high levels of saturated fat, sodium and sugar.

Recommended intake: the recommendation is to avoid eating these foods.

General recommendations:

Snacks and sweets, although tasty, inexpensive and available, are high in calories and poor in nutritional values. Consumption of large quantities of these foods over time may harm one’s health.

Foods to avoid or the intake of which should be minimized during pregnancy

Sweets and snacks

Ultra-processed foods largely deliver sugar, salt and fat to the body. Consumption of these foods should be avoided or minimized, particularly during pregnancy to avoid affecting the cognitive development of the unborn child as well as to prevent excessive weight gain and reduce the risk of developing future disease in the newborn.

Artificial sweeteners

Although artificial sweeteners have been approved for use during pregnancy, the recommendation is to minimize their intake during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Caffeine

During pregnancy, caffeine clearance from the body slows down, and may be passed on to the fetus through the placenta. You should know that caffeine raises blood pressure, accelerates pulse and may affect your sleeping habits as well as that of your unborn child. Studies established a correlation between overconsumption of caffeine (over 150mg of caffeine per day) and miscarriages, premature delivery and low birth weight. It is therefore recommended that you limit intake of food and beverages that contain caffeine such as coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks and cocoa – to up to 3 cups per day, and chocolate, yes also chocolate.

Caffeine content depends on the type of beverage and how it is made:
  • Filter coffee: 250 ml of filter coffee contains 100mg of caffeine.
  • Cup of instant coffee: approximately 65mg of caffeine.
  • Cup of tea: approximately 50mg of caffeine (there are various teas that do not contain caffeine. Information appears on the package).
  • Can of cola or diet cola: approximately 40mg of caffeine.

Salt and monosodium glutamate (MSG)

Excessive consumption of salt (sodium) may affect blood pressure.

  • You should not consume more than one teaspoon of salt per day (approximately 5 grams, 2,300mg sodium), including salt found in cooked food and premade food.
  • The quantity of salt in purchased food products is listed on the nutritional facts label and is listed as sodium.
  • A large quantity of sodium is also found in monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is found in many food products, such as chicken bouillon, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, seasoning products and spice mixtures. Please note that in the list of ingredients appearing on the product packages, Monosodium Glutamate will apparently be written as MSG E-621.
  • Salt or monosodium glutamate can be replaced by herbs (parsley, cilantro) and spices that do not contain salt, such as onion, garlic, pepper, paprika and cumin.

Diet for pregnant women following a vegetarian and vegan lifestyle

During pregnancy, maintaining a diverse, healthy and rich diet is important, if you avoid consuming any form of animal-based food or any part thereof, and particularly 2 servings of fish per week. You should consult a dietician, who will recommend supplementary ideas and solutions – particularly for alternate sources of protein, Vitamin B12 and zinc. Consider taking 200mg of Omega 3 DHA supplement per day.

Proposals for rich and healthy plant-based food, and additional information about diet in vegetarian and vegan families can be found here

Physical gastrointestinal symptoms during pregnancy

Pregnancy can be a physically challenging period, with typical symptoms including nausea, vomiting, heartburn, constipation, etc. Remember that this is a temporary situation and most symptoms that occur during pregnancy will disappear once the pregnancy concludes. Some of the symptoms can be prevented and some can be alleviated with dietary recommendations and habits that you will slowly develop for yourself, so that your pregnancy will be as easy and pleasant as possible.

Approximately 80% of all pregnant women will experience nausea and vomiting, and for 90% of these women, the symptoms will disappear by week 20.

Dietary recommendations that may help you:
  • Eat small and frequent meals, approximately every two hours.
  • When the sugar level is low, you may experience nausea. You should therefore eat a meal that contains carbohydrates such as fish or fruit that will raise the sugar level.
  • Try to eat dry carbohydrates, such as crackers, before getting out of bed.
  • Make sure to drink large quantities of fluid. You may find it easier to drink in small quantities, suck on ice cubes or shredded ice. Note that dehydration in all stages of pregnancy may be dangerous and trigger nausea.
  • During pregnancy, you may be more sensitive to scents. Avoid strong aromas, scents that bother you or that trigger nausea.
  • The contrasting flavors patent – eating a sour food with a sweet one, or a salty food with sweet food may alleviate nausea.
  • Ginger has been found to help alleviate nausea but not prevent vomiting. Try one teaspoon of grated ginger or 4 cups of tea with ginger per day.

Heartburn , which occurs when gastric juices rise from the stomach to the esophagus, is caused by increased secretion of progesterone during pregnancy.

Dietary recommendations to alleviate heartburn:
  • Eat and drink separately.
  • Spread your meals and eat small meals throughout the day.
  • Avoid extremely fatty or fried food.
  • Avoid food with extreme flavors – extremely spicy, extremely sweet, etc.
  • Avoid laying down after eating for at least two hours.
  • Sleep with the back, neck and head elevated with a pillow.
  • Avoid caffeine and carbonated beverages.
  • Avoid chewing gum.
  • Avoid mint and cocoa. You can check on your own which foods and flavors cause you heartburn and avoid them during pregnancy.
  • Avoid acidic food.

Anemia during pregnancy can cause:
  • Low birth weight
  • Premature delivery (related to anemia in the first trimester).
  • Fatigue, weakness, headaches.
  • Breathing difficulties and rapid pulse.

Fetal anemia: a fetus will not develop anemia if your hemoglobin level does not drop below 6. At the same time, hemoglobin of 6 is extremely low and requires treatment.

11%-38% of pregnant women will suffer from constipation during pregnancy. Constipation is a side effect caused by iron supplements, and that is found in dietary supplements that you take during pregnancy (folic acid, etc.). Surplus progesterone is secreted during pregnancy, high levels of which cause the digestive system to slow down.

Dietary recommendations for coping with constipation:
  • More water: to increase water intake, make sure to drink 3 liters of water per day.
  • More fiber: increase intake of soluble and insoluble fibers. Soluble fibers: legumes, oats, fruit and vegetables. Rough fiber: whole wheat, whole bread, pasta, rice, couscous, quinoa, whole burghul. All whole grains. Fiber supplements can be taken during pregnancy. Chia or flax seeds can also help.
  • Physical activity: one of the many benefits of physical activity is increased intestinal activity, and release of constipation.
  • Type of iron: you can try to change the type of iron supplement. Supplements of different companies affect everyone differently.
  • Medications: if constipation continues, contact the physician treating you to receive medication.

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